Support Group Hopes to Save Lives!

Ann with her son Elis who can be monitored and receive appropriate treatments if required.

A Bridgend woman who knows the devastation caused by undiagnosed cardiomyopathy is helping to start a local support group.

Ann Harrison-Power’s husband Ray died suddenly at work on January 8, 1997. It was a huge shock to the family. He was just 30 years old, and since then Anne has been keen that people should know more about the condition.

Cardiomyopathy is a disease of the heart muscle. It was responsible for the death of Terry Yorath’s son Daniel in 1992.

Ann told The GEM: “I volunteer with a national charity called Cardiomyopathy UK which is the only UK charity supporting people affected by this heart muscle disease.

“There are many types of cardiomyopathy affecting babies, children and adults.

“It affects both males and females equally. Despite this being a condition affecting one in 500 people, many people are unaware of it.

“The charity recently launched its campaign ‘know your heart story’ which is a campaign to try to get people to identify whether there is a history of cardiomyopathy in their family so that other family members can get the necessary screening because diagnosis means more people survive.

“My husband Ray died at the age of 30 from undiagnosed cardiomyopathy. He therefore did not get the opportunity to access life-saving treatments and interventions.

“My son Elis (now 24) has inherited the faulty gene from his dad, however it means that he is monitored closely and will receive the appropriate treatments as and when he needs them to protect him from sudden cardiac death.

“This is the same condition that caused the death of the footballer Terry Yorath’s son, Daniel, at the age of just 15.”

The Cardiomyopathy UK Bridgend Support Group will meet for the first time on Saturday, March 10, from 2pm until 4pm at Pencoed Welfare Hall (CF35 5PE).

It will be followed by bimonthly meetings throughout the year with different speakers and presentations at each one.

At the first meeting a Cardiomyopathy UK nurse will give a talk and answer questions.

More information is available from Ann on 07970 669239; or Jo on 01494 791224.

Story Credit: http://www.barry-today.co.uk/article.cfm?id=117835&headline=Support%20group%20hopes%20to%20save%20lives!&sectionIs=news&searchyear=2018